nikon d5300: from snapshots to great shots

final spine = 0.4785"

SylvanN

ikon D5300

From Snap

shots to Great Shots

US $24.99 Can $25.99

now that you’ve bought the amazing nikon D5300, you need a

book that goes beyond a tour of the camera’s features to show you

exactly how to use the D5300 to take great pictures. With Nikon

D5300: From Snapshots to Great Shots, you get the perfect blend of

photography instruction and camera reference. Beautifully illustrated

with large, vibrant photos, this book teaches you how to take control

of your photography to get the image you want every time you pick

up the camera.

Follow along with your friendly and knowledgeable guide,

photographer Rob Sylvan, and you will:

• Learn the top ten things you need to know about shooting with the D5300

• Master the photographic basics of composition, focus, and depth of field

• Use the D5300’s automatic scene and professional modes for more control over your images

• Understand all the best tricks and techniques for getting great action shots, landscapes, and portraits

• Harness the power of enhanced video recording and capture beautiful moving images with the D5300

Join the book’s Flickr group, share your photos, ask questions,

and discuss how you use your D5300 to get great shots at

flickr.com/groups/nikon5300_fromsnapshotstogreatshots.

Nikon D5300From Snapshots to Great Shots

Peachpit Press www.peachpit.com

Level: BeginnerCategory: Digital PhotographyCover Design: aren StraigerCover Image: Rob SylvanAuthor Photo: Rob Sylvan

facebook.com/PeachpitCreativeLearning

@peachpit

Rob Sylvan is a

photographer, trainer,

and author. In addition

to being KelbyOne’s

Lightroom Help Desk

Specialist, he also writes

the “Under the Loupe”

column for Photoshop User magazine,

and blogs about Lightroom at

Lightroomers.com. He is the author of

several books and eBooks, including

Taking Stock: Make money in micro-

stock creating photos that sell and Nikon

D5200: From Snapshots to Great Shots.

Join him on a photography workshop

at thedigitalphotoworkshops.com.

Rob Sylvan

Nikon D5300From Snapshots to Great Shots

Get great detail in your subjects!

Learn the best ways to compose your pictures!

9780321987501_NikonD5300SNP_Cvr.indd 1 1/23/14 11:57 PM

Nikon D5300:From

Snapshots to

Great Shots

Rob Sylvan

Nikon D5300: From Snapshots to Great ShotsRob Sylvan

Peachpit Presswww.peachpit.com

To report errors, please send a note to [email protected]

Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson EducationCopyright © 2014 by Peachpit Press

Senior Editor: Susan RimermanSenior Production Editor: Lisa BraziealCopyeditor: Scout FestaProofreader: Suki GearComposition: WolfsonDesignIndexer: James MinkinCover Image: Rob SylvanCover Design: Aren StraigerInterior Design: Mimi Heft

Notice of RightsAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact [email protected].

Notice of LiabilityThe information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks“From Snapshots to Great Shots” is a trademark, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. All Nikon products are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nikon and/or Nikon Corporation. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN-13 978-0-321-98750-1 ISBN-10 0-321-98750-0

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed and bound in the United States of America

http://www.peachpit.com

The camera used while writing this From Snapshots to Great Shots book was generously provided by B&H Photo.

www.bhphotovideo.com

http://www.bhphotovideo.com

Dedication

To Joanne and Lance. Thanks for all your years of support and for being such

wonderful grandparents.

Acknowledgements

My deepest thanks go to Jeff Revell, the author of a number of books in the From Snapshots

to Great Shots series, and specifically of the book on the D5000, which I had the honor and

pleasure of updating for the D5100, the D5200, and now the D5300. Jeff is a tremendous

photographer and gifted teacher. Thank you for providing such a sound foundation upon

which to build.

Any book that has reached the final stage of being published is actually the work of many

hands (eyes, brains, and hearts too) behind the scenes. I owe everyone at Peachpit a great

deal of gratitude, but specifically Susan Rimerman, Scout Festa, Suki Gear, Lisa Brazieal,

WolfsonDesign, James Minkin, Sara Jane Todd, Scott Cowlin, Ted Waitt, and Nancy Aldrich-

Ruenzel, who were instrumental in getting this book finished, making it look so darn

fantastic, and putting it out into the world. Thank you all.

A special thanks to David Brommer and B&H Photo Video for help in securing the D5300

I used to write this book.

I am grateful for all that I have learned from my friends at the National Association

of Photoshop Professionals, from the fantastic instructors at Photoshop World, and

of course from my friends and fellow photographers at www.stocksy.com and

www.thedigitalphotoworkshops.com. You all have taught and inspired me over the years.

I also want to thank my wife, Paloma, for being the love of my life and my number one

supporter during this project; my son, Quinn, for assisting me on many shoots and being

the model in many more; and my family, friends, and neighbors—Adrienne, Emma, Julia,

Paige, Shiela, Ron, Kris, Max, Otis, Hayden, Jaylin, Alden, Jayda, Maggie, Raymond, Kayla,

Justin, Nekos—for being a part of the book in large and small ways.

Also, a big shoutout to Crackskull’s Coffee & Books and the New Hampshire Media Makers.

Thanks, guys!

http://www.stocksy.com

http://www.thedigitalphotoworkshops.com

ContentsIntroductIon Ix

chapter 1: the d5300 top ten LIst 1

Ten Tips to Make Your Shooting More Productive Right Out of the Box

Poring Over the Camera 2

Poring Over the Camera 4

1. Charge Your Battery 5

2. Adjust Your Auto Off Timer Setting 5

3. Set Your JPEG Image Quality 7

4. Choose Your ISO Setting 9

5. Set Your Focus Point and Mode 11

6. Set the Correct White Balance 13

7. Set Your Color Space 15

8. Know How to Override Autofocus 17

9. Review Your Shots 18

10. Hold Your Camera for Proper Shooting 22

Chapter 1 Assignments 24

chapter 2: FIrst thIngs FIrst 27

A Few Things to Know and Do Before You Begin Taking Pictures

Poring Over the Picture 28

Choosing the Right Memory Card 30

Formatting Your Memory Card 31

Updating the D5300’s Firmware 32

Cleaning the Sensor 33

Using the Right Format: RAW vs. JPEG 35

Lenses and Focal Lengths 38

What Is Exposure? 43

Motion and Depth of Field 46


C o n t e n t s v

vi n i k o n D 5 3 0 0 : F R o m S n a p S h o t S t o G R e at S h o t S

chApter 3: the Auto MoDes 51

Get Shooting with the Automatic Camera Modes


Auto Mode 54

Auto (Flash Off) Mode 55

Portrait Mode 56

Landscape Mode 58

Child Mode 59

Sports Mode 60

Close-up Mode 61

Scene Modes 62

Effects Modes 67

Why You May Never Want to Use the Auto Scene Modes Again 71


chApter 4: the proFessIonAL MoDes 77

Taking Your Photography to the Next Level


P: Program Mode 80

S: Shutter Priority Mode 83

A: Aperture Priority Mode 87

M: Manual Mode 91

How I Shoot: A Closer Look at the Camera Settings I Use 94


chApter 5: MovIng tArget 101

The Tricks to Shooting Subjects in Motion


Stop Right There! 104

Using Shutter Priority (S) Mode to Stop Motion 107

Using Aperture Priority (A) Mode to Isolate Your Subject 109

The Auto ISO Sensitivity Control Trick 111

Keep Them in Focus with Continuous-servo Focus and AF Focus Point Selection 112

Stop and Go with 3D-tracking AF 115

Manual Focus for Anticipated Action 115

Keeping Up with the Continuous Shooting Mode 117

A Sense of Motion 118

C o n t e n t s vii

Tips for Shooting Action 120


Chapter 6: Say CheeSe! 125

Settings and Features to Make Great Portraits


Automatic Portrait Mode 128

Using Aperture Priority Mode 128

Metering Modes for Portraits 130

Using the AE-L (Auto Exposure Lock) Feature 132

Focusing: The Eyes Have It 133

Classic Black and White Portraits 135

The Portrait Picture Control for Better Skin Tones 137

Detect Faces with Live View 138

Use Fill Flash for Reducing Shadows 139

Portraits on the Move 142

Tips for Shooting Better Portraits 142


Chapter 7: LandSCape photography 151

Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get the Most Out of Your Landscape Photography


Sharp and In Focus: Using Tripods 154

Selecting the Proper ISO 156

Using Noise Reduction 158

Selecting a White Balance 159

Using the Landscape Picture Control 161

Taming Overexposure with Exposure Compensation 162

Shooting Beautiful Black and White Landscapes 164

The Golden Light 166

Where to Focus 167

Easier Focusing 169

Making Water Fluid 170

Directing the Viewer: A Word About Composition 173

Advanced Techniques to Explore 176

Tracking Your Location with GPS 186


viii n i k o n D 5 3 0 0 : F R o m S n a p S h o t S t o G R e at S h o t S

chApter 8: MooD LIghtIng 189

Shooting When the Lights Get Low


Raising the ISO: The Simple Solution 192

Using Very High ISOs 194

Stabilizing the Situation 196

Focusing in Low Light 197

Shooting Long Exposures 200

Using the Built-in Flash 202

Compensating for the Flash Exposure 205

Reducing Red-Eye 207

Rear Curtain Sync 210

Flash and Glass 212

A Few Words About External Flash 213


chApter 9: ADvAnceD technIques 217

Impress Your Family and Friends


Spot Meter for More Exposure Control 220

Manual Mode 222

Avoiding Lens Flare 225

Using the Sun Creatively 226

Bracketing Exposures 227

Macro Photography 229

Active D-Lighting 230

Interval Timer Shooting 233

The My Menu Setting 235


chApter 10: D5300 vIDeo: BeyonD the BAsIcs 239

Video and the D5300

It’s All About the Lenses 244

Accessories for Video 245

Getting Shallow Depth of Field 247

ix

Giving a Different Look to Your Videos 248

Tips for Better Video 249

Watching and Editing Your Video 251


chApter 11: AccessorIze 255

Upgrades and Accessories to Expand Your Camera’s Creative Potential

Filters 256

Tripods 260

Remote or Cable Release 261

Macro Photography Accessories 262

Hot-Shoe Flashes 263

Diffusers 264

Camera Bags 264

Bits and Pieces 265

Conclusion 267

InDex 268

Bonus chApter 12: creAtIve coMposItIons Bonus-1

This page intentionally left blank

xi

IntroductionThe D5300 is an amazing piece of technology and a very capable tool for

creating photographs that you will be proud to show others. The intention

of this book is not to rehash the owner’s manual that came with the camera,

but rather to be a resource for learning how to improve your photography

while using your D5300. I am very excited and honored to assist you in that

process, and to that end I have put together a short Q&A to help you get a

better understanding of just what you can expect from this book.

xii n i k o n D 5 3 0 0 : F R o m S n a p S h o t S t o G R e at S h o t S

Q: is every camera feature going to be covered?

A: Nope, just the ones I felt you need to know about in order to start taking great photos.

Believe it or not, you already own a great resource that covers every feature of your camera:

the owner’s manual. Writing a book that just repeats this information would have been

a waste of my time and your money. What I did want to write about was how to harness

certain camera features to benefit your photography. As you read, you will also see call-

outs that point you to specific pages in your manual that are related to the topic being

discussed. For example, in Chapter 6 I discuss the use of the AE-L button, but more infor-

mation on this feature is available in the manual. I cover the function that applies to our

specific needs, but I also give you the page numbers in the manual to explore this function

even further.

Q: So if i already own the manual, why do i need this book?

A: The manual does a pretty good job of telling you how to use a feature or turn it on

in the menus, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you why and when you should use it. If you

really want to improve your photography, you need to know the whys and whens to put

all of those great camera features to use at the right time. In that respect, the manual just

isn’t going to cut it. It is, however, an excellent resource on the camera’s features, and that’s

why I treat it like a companion to this book. You already own it, so why not get something

of value from it?

Q: What can i expect to learn from this book?

A: Hopefully, you will learn how to take great photographs. My goal—and the reason

the book is laid out the way it is—is to guide you through the basics of photography as

they relate to different situations and scenarios. By using the features of your D5300 and

this book, you will learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lens selection, depth of field,

and many other photographic concepts. You will also find plenty of full-page photos that

include captions, shooting data, and callouts so you can see how all of the photography

fundamentals come together to make great images. All the while, you will be learning

how your camera works and how to apply its functions and features to your photography.

Also, while the main focus of this book is on shooting still photographs, I do devote a

chapter to the video functions of the camera.

Q: What are the assignments all about?

A: At the end of most of the chapters, you will find shooting assignments, where I give you

some suggestions about how you can apply the lessons of the chapter to help reinforce

everything you just learned. Let’s face it—using the camera is much more fun than reading

about it, so the assignments are a way of taking a little break after each chapter and having

some fun.

xiiiI n t r o d u c t I o n

Q: Should i read the book straight through, or can i skip around from chapter to chapter?

A: Here’s the easy answer: yes and no. No, because the first four chapters give you the

basic information you need to know about your camera. These are the building blocks

for using the camera. After that, yes, move around the book as you see fit, because those

chapters are written to stand on their own as guides to specific types of photography or

shooting situations. So you can bounce from portraits to landscapes and then maybe to

a little action photography. It’s all about your needs and how you want to address them.

Or, you can read it straight through. The choice is up to you.

Q: is there anything else i should know before getting started?

A: In order to keep the book short and focused, I had to be pretty selective about what

I put in each chapter. The problem is that there is a little more information that might

come in handy after you’ve gone through all the chapters. So as an added value for you,

there is one bonus chapter, Chapter 12, “Creative Compositions.” Chapter 12 will lead

you through some tips and techniques to make your photos even better. To access the

bonus chapter, just log in to, or join, Peachpit.com (it’s free) and enter the book’s ISBN

(9780321987501) on this page: www.peachpit.com/store/register.aspx. After you register

the book, a link to the bonus chapter will be listed on your Account page under Registered

Products. If you purchased an electronic version of this book, you’re set —Chapters 12 is

already included.

Q: is that it?

A: One last thought before you dive into the first chapter. My goal in writing this book

has been to give you a resource you can turn to for creating great photographs with your

Nikon D5300. Take some time to learn the basics, and then put them to use. Photography,

like most things, takes time to master and requires practice. I have been a photographer

for many years and I’m still learning.

Always remember that it’s not the camera but the person using it who makes beautiful

photographs. Have fun, make mistakes, and then learn from them. In no time, I’m

sure you will transition from a person who takes snapshots to a photographer who

makes great shots.

http://www.peachpit.com/store/register.aspx

ISO 100 • 2 sec. • f/8 • 40mm lens

77

4The Professional ModesTaking Your Photography to the Next Level

If you talk to professional photographers, you will find that the majority

of them are using a few selective modes that offer the greatest amount of

control over their photography. To anyone who has been involved with

photography for any period of time, these modes are known as the

backbones of photography. They allow you to influence two of the most

important factors in taking great photographs: aperture and shutter speed.

To access these modes, you simply turn the Mode dial to one of the letter-

designated modes and begin shooting. But wouldn’t it be nice to know

exactly what those modes control and how to make them do our bidding?

Well, if you want to take that next step in controlling your photography,

it is essential that you understand not only how to control these modes

but why you are controlling them. So let’s move that Mode dial to the first

of our professional modes: Program mode.

Poring Over the Picture

Colorful berries covered in snow are a favorite subject of mine in early winter.

I think it is something about all the contrasts that exist simultaneously: the vibrant

berry color and the white snow; the contrast between the berries’ warmth and the

icy cold. Getting up close brings the crystal texture of the ice into focus against

the smooth skin of the berries. When the snow flies it’s a great time to head out

for some cool photographs.

The focus point was placed on the closest berries.

ISO 100 • 1/320 sec. • f/2.8 • 70mm lens

The white of the snow was tricking the meter into underexposing the scene, so I shot in Manual mode to control the exposure settings.

I wanted a shallow depth of field, so I chose the largest aperture this lens could use.

80 N i k o N D 5 3 0 0 : F r o m S N a p S h o t S t o G r e at S h o t S

P: Program Mode

There is a reason that Program mode is only one click away from the auto-

matic modes: With respect to aperture and shutter speed, the camera is doing

most of the thinking for you. So, if that is the case, why even bother with

Program mode?

First, let me say that I rarely use Program mode because it just doesn’t give as much

control over the image-making process as the other professional modes. On occasion,

however, it comes in handy; for instance, when I am shooting in widely changing lighting

conditions and don’t have the time to think through all of my options, or when I’m not

very concerned with having ultimate control of the scene. Think of a picnic outdoors in

a partial shade/sun environment. I want great-looking pictures, but I’m not looking for

anything to hang in a museum. If that’s the scenario, why choose Program over one of

the scene modes? Because it gives me choices and control that none of the scene modes

can deliver.

When to use Program (P) mode instead of the automatic scene modes• When shooting in a casual environment where quick adjustments are needed

• When you want more control over the ISO

• When you want to make corrections to the white balance

• When you want to change shutter speeds or the aperture to achieve a specific result

Let’s go back to our picnic scenario. As I said, the light is moving from deep shadow to

bright sunlight, which means that the camera is trying to balance our three photo factors

(ISO, aperture, and shutter speed) to make a good exposure. From Chapter 1, we know

that Auto ISO is just not a consideration, so we have already turned that feature off (you

did turn it off, didn’t you?). Well, in Program mode, you can choose which ISO you would

like the camera to base its exposure on. The lower the ISO number, the better the quality

of our photographs but the less light sensitive the camera becomes. It’s a balancing act,

with the main goal always being to keep the ISO as low as possible—too low an ISO and

we will get camera shake in our images from a long shutter speed; too high an ISO and

we will have an unacceptable amount of digital noise.

manual Callout

To see a comparison of all the different modes, check out the table on page 248 of the Reference

Manual on the CD that came with the camera.

4 : t h e p r o F e S S i o N a l m o D e S 81

For our purposes, let’s go ahead and select ISO 400 so that we provide enough sensitivity

for those shadows while allowing the camera to use shutter speeds that are fast enough

to stop motion.

Starting points for iSo selection

We discuss ISO quite often in this and other chapters, but it might be helpful if you know where your

starting points should be for your ISO settings. The first thing you should always try to do is use

the lowest possible ISO setting. That being said, here are good starting points for your ISO settings:

• 100: Bright, sunny day

• 200: Hazy or outdoor shade on a sunny day

• 400: Indoor lighting at night or cloudy conditions outside

• 800: Late-night, low-light conditions or sporting arenas at night

These are just suggestions, and your ISO selection will depend on a number of factors that will be

discussed later in the book. You might have to push your ISO even higher as needed, but at least

now you know where to start.

With the ISO selected, we can now make use of the other controls built into Program

mode. By rotating the Command dial, we have the ability to shift the program settings.

Remember, your camera is using the internal meter to pick what it believes are suitable

exposure values, but sometimes it doesn’t know what it’s looking at and how you want

those values applied (Figures 4.1 and 4.2). With the program shift, you can influence what

the shot will look like. Do you need faster shutter speeds in order to stop the action? Just

turn the Command dial to the right. Do you want a smaller aperture so that you get a

narrow depth of field? Then turn the dial to the left until you get the desired aperture.

The camera shifts the shutter speed and aperture accordingly in order to get a proper

exposure, and you will get the benefit of your choice as a result. Just keep in mind that

the camera is always trying to maintain the right exposure at every setting, and so the

available light and the maximum and minimum aperture values of the attached lens will

limit the range of shutter speeds at a given ISO value.

You will also notice that a small star will appear above the letter P in the viewfinder and

the rear display if you rotate the Command dial. This star is an indication that you modi-

fied the exposure from the one the camera chose. To go back to the default Program

exposure, simply turn the dial until the star goes away or switch to a different mode and

then back to Program mode again.


Figure 4.1 this is my first shot using program mode. i rotated the Command dial to the right to increase shutter speed and use a wider aperture for shallow depth of field.

ISO 100 • 1/20 sec. • f/5.3 • 85mm lens

Figure 4.2 to increase the depth of field, i rotated the Command dial to the left to slow down shutter speed and decrease the size of the aperture.

ISO 100 • 1/3 sec. • f/14 • 85mm lens


Let’s set up the camera for Program mode and see how we can make all of this

come together.

Setting up and shooting in program mode1. Turn your camera on, and then turn the Command dial to align the P with the

indicator line.

2. Select your ISO by pressing the i button on the back of the camera.

3. Press up or down on the Multi-selector to highlight the ISO option, then select OK.

4. Use the Multi-selector to select the desired ISO setting, and then press OK to lock in the change.

5. Point the camera at your subject, and then activate the camera meter by depressing the shutter button halfway.

6. View the exposure information in the bottom of the viewfinder or by looking at the display panel on the back of the camera.

7. While the meter is activated, use your thumb to roll the Command dial left and right to see the changed exposure values.

8. Select the exposure that is right for you and start clicking. (Don’t worry if you aren’t sure what the right exposure is. We will start working on making the right choices for those great shots beginning with the next chapter.)

n

S: Shutter Priority Mode

S mode is what we photographers commonly refer to as Shutter Priority mode.

Just as the name implies, it is the mode that prioritizes or places major empha-

sis on the shutter speed above all other camera settings.

Just as with Program mode, Shutter Priority mode gives us more freedom to control certain

aspects of our photography. In this case, we are talking about shutter speed. The selected

shutter speed determines just how long you expose your camera’s sensor to light. The

longer it remains open, the more time your sensor has to gather light. The shutter speed

also, to a large degree, determines how sharp your photographs are. This is different

from the image being sharply in focus. Two of the major influences on the sharpness of

an image are camera shake and the subject’s movement. Because a slower shutter speed

means that light from your subject is hitting the sensor for a longer period of time, any

movement by you or your subject will show up in your photos as blur.

84

When to use Shutter Priority (S) mode• When working with fast-moving subjects where you want to freeze the action

(Figure 4.3); much more on this in Chapter 5

• When you want to emphasize movement in your subject with motion blur (Figure 4.4)

• When you want to use a long exposure to gather light over a long period of time

(Figure 4.5); more on this in Chapter 8

• When you want to create that silky-looking water in a waterfall (Figure 4.6)

Figure 4.3 even the fastest of subjects can be frozen with the right shutter speed.

ISO 200 • 1/500 sec. • f/4 • 70mm lens

Figure 4.4 Slowing down the shutter speed and following the motion conveys a sense of movement in the shot.

ISO 640 • 1/10 sec. • f/8 • 24mm lens


Figure 4.5 long exposure coupled with a steady tripod can bring out the entire milky Way.

ISO 1000 • 30 sec. • f/3.5 • 24mm lens

Figure 4.6 increasing the length of the expo-sure time gives the flowing water a silky look.

ISO 200 • 30 sec. • f/8 • 28mm lens


As you can see, the subject of your photo usually determines whether or not you will use

Shutter Priority mode. It is important that you be able to visualize the result of using a

particular shutter speed. The great thing about shooting with digital cameras is that you

get instant feedback by viewing your shot on the LCD screen. But what if your subject

won’t give you a do-over? Such is often the case when shooting sporting events. It’s not

like you can go ask the quarterback to throw that touchdown pass again because your

last shot was blurry from a slow shutter speed. This is why it’s important to know what

those speeds represent in terms of their capabilities to stop the action and deliver a blur-

free shot.

Shutter speeds

A slow shutter speed refers to leaving the shutter open for a long period of time—like 1/30 of a

second or longer. A fast shutter speed means that the shutter is open for a very short period of

time—like 1/250 of a second or shorter.

First, let’s examine just how much control you have over the shutter speeds. The D5300 has

a shutter speed range from 1/4000 of a second to 30 seconds. With that much latitude,

you should have enough control to capture almost any subject. The other thing to think

about is that Shutter Priority mode is considered a “semiautomatic” mode. This means

that you are taking control over one aspect of the total exposure while the camera handles

the other. In this instance, you are controlling the shutter speed and the camera is con-

trolling the aperture. This is important because there will be times when you want to use

a particular shutter speed but your lens won’t be able to accommodate your request.

For example, you might encounter this problem when shooting in low-light situations:

If you are shooting a fast-moving subject that will blur at a shutter speed slower than

1/125 of a second, but your lens’s largest aperture is f/3.5, you might find that your aper-

ture display in the viewfinder and the rear LCD panel will blink. This is your warning that

there won’t be enough light available for the shot—due to the limitations of the lens—

so your picture will be underexposed.

Another case where you might run into this issue is when you are shooting moving water.

To get that look of silky, flowing water, you usually need to use a shutter speed of at least

1/15 of a second. If your waterfall is in full sunlight, you may see the aperture readout

blink because the lens you are using only stops down to f/22 at its smallest opening. In this

instance, your camera is warning you that you will be overexposing your image. There

are workarounds for these problems, which we will discuss later (see Chapter 7), but it is

important to know that Shutter Priority mode has certain limitations.


Setting up and shooting in Shutter priority mode1. Turn your camera on, and then turn the Mode dial to align the S with the

indicator line.


3. Press up or down on the Multi-selector to highlight the ISO option, and then press OK.

4. Use the Multi-selector to select the desired ISO setting, then press OK to lock in the change.


6. View the exposure information in the bottom area of the viewfinder or by looking at the rear LCD panel.

7. While the meter is activated, use your thumb to roll the Command dial left and right to see the changed exposure values. Roll the dial to the right for faster shutter speeds and to the left for slower speeds.

n

A: Aperture Priority Mode

You wouldn’t know it from its name, but Aperture Priority mode is one of the

most useful and popular of all the professional modes. This mode is one of my

personal favorites, and I believe that it will quickly become one of yours as

well. Aperture Priority mode is also deemed a semiautomatic mode because it allows you

to control one factor of exposure while the camera adjusts for the other.

Why, you may ask, is this one of my favorite modes? It’s because the aperture of your lens

dictates depth of field. Depth of field, along with composition, is a major factor in how

you direct attention to what is important in your image. It is the controlling factor of how

much area in your image is sharp. If you want to isolate a subject from the background,

such as when shooting a portrait, you can use a large aperture to keep the focus on your

subject and make both the foreground and background blurry. If you want to keep the

entire scene sharply focused, as with a landscape scene, then using a small aperture will

render the greatest amount of depth of field possible.

88

When to use Aperture Priority (A) mode• When shooting portraits or wildlife (Figure 4.7)

• When shooting most landscape photography (Figure 4.8)

• When shooting macro, or close-up, photography (Figure 4.9)

Figure 4.7 a large aperture created a very blurry background, so all the emphasis was left on the subjects.

ISO 100 • 1/320 sec. • f/2.8 • 70mm lens


Figure 4.8 the smaller aperture setting brings sharp-ness to near and far objects.

ISO 100 • 0.8 sec. • f/11 • 35mm lens

Figure 4.9 Small apertures give more sharpness in macro images.

ISO 100 • 0.8 sec. • f/8 • 80mm lens


F-stops and aperture

As discussed earlier, the numeric value of your lens aperture is described as an f-stop. The f-stop

is one of those old photography terms, which technically relates to the focal length of the lens (for

example, 200mm) divided by the effective aperture diameter. These measurements are defined as

“stops” and work incrementally with your shutter speed to determine proper exposure. Older camera

lenses used one-stop increments to assist in exposure adjustments, such as 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11,

16, and 22. Each stop represents about half the amount of light entering the lens iris as the larger

stop before it. Today, most lenses don’t have f-stop markings, since all adjustments to this setting

are performed via the camera’s electronics. The stops are also now typically divided into 1/3-stop

increments to allow much finer adjustments to exposures as well as to match the incremental values

of your camera’s ISO settings, which are adjusted in 1/3-stop increments.

So we have established that Aperture Priority (A) mode is highly useful in controlling the

depth of field in your image. But it’s also pivotal in determining the limits of available light

that you can shoot in. Different lenses have different maximum apertures. The larger the

maximum aperture, the less light you need in order to achieve an acceptably sharp image.

You will recall that when using Shutter Priority mode, handholding your camera introduces

movement or hand shake, which causes blurriness in the final picture. If your lens has a

larger aperture, you can let in more light all at once, which means that you can use faster

shutter speeds. This is why lenses with large maximum apertures, such as f/1.4, are called

“fast” lenses.

On the other hand, bright scenes require the use of a small aperture (such as f/16 or

f/22), especially if you want to use a slower shutter speed. That small opening reduces

the amount of incoming light, and this reduction of light requires that the shutter stay

open longer.

Setting up and shooting in aperture priority mode1. Turn your camera on, and then turn the Mode dial to align the A with the indicator line.





6. View the exposure information in the bottom area of the viewfinder or by looking at the rear display panel.


7. While the meter is activated, use your thumb to roll the Command dial left and right to see the changed exposure values. Roll the dial to the right for a smaller aperture (higher f-stop number) and to the left for a larger aperture (smaller f-stop number).

n

Zoom lenses and maximum apertures

Some zoom lenses (like the 18–140mm kit lens) have a variable maximum aperture. This means that

the largest opening will change depending on the zoom setting. In the example of the 18–140mm

zoom, the lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at 18mm and only f/5.6 when the lens is zoomed

out to 140mm.

M: Manual Mode

Once upon a time, long before digital cameras and program modes, there was

manual mode. In those days it wasn’t called “manual mode” because there

were no other modes. It was just photography. In fact, many photographers

cut their teeth on completely manual cameras. Let’s face it—if you want to learn the effects

of aperture and shutter speed on your photography, there is no better way to learn than

by setting these adjustments yourself. However, today, with the advancement of camera

technology, many new photographers never give this mode a second thought. That’s truly

a shame, as not only is it an excellent way to learn your photography basics, but it’s also

an essential tool to have in your photographic bag of tricks.

When you have your camera set to Manual (M) mode, the camera meter will give you a

reading of the scene you are photographing. It’s your job, though, to set both the f-stop

(aperture) and the shutter speed to achieve a correct exposure. If you need a faster shutter

speed, you will have to make the reciprocal change to your f-stop. Using any other mode,

such as Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority, would mean that you just have to worry about

one of these changes, but Manual mode means you have to do it all yourself. This can be

a little challenging at first, but after a while you will have a complete understanding of

how each change affects your exposure, which will, in turn, improve the way you use the

other modes.


When to use Manual (M) mode• When learning how each exposure element interacts with the others (Figure 4.10)

• When your environment is fooling your light meter and you need to maintain a

certain exposure setting (Figure 4.11)

• When shooting silhouetted subjects, which requires overriding the camera’s meter

readings (Figure 4.12)

Figure 4.10 i wanted to expose for the bright signs to keep them from blowing out, but i also wanted to use a shutter speed that was slow enough to convey motion.

ISO 100 • 0.6 sec. • f/22 • 80mm lens


Figure 4.11 Sand and snow are always a challenge for light meters. Using manual mode allowed me to prevent the scene from being underexposed.

ISO 100 • 2 sec. • f/8 • 60mm lens

Figure 4.12 i used the spot meter on the bright background and adjusted exposure manually to put the subject into silhouette.

ISO 200 • 1/80 sec. • f/8 • 200mm lens


Setting up and shooting in manual mode1. Turn your camera on, and then turn the Mode dial to align the M with the indicator line.





6. View the exposure information in the bottom area of the viewfinder or by looking at the display panel on the rear of the camera.

7. While the meter is activated, use your thumb to roll the Command dial left and right to change your shutter speed value until the exposure mark is lined up with the zero mark. The exposure information is displayed by a scale with marks that run from –2 to +2 stops. A proper exposure will line up with the arrow mark in the middle. As the indicator moves to the left, it is a sign that you will be underexposing (there is too little light on the sensor to provide adequate exposure). Move the indicator to the right and you will be providing more exposure than the camera meter calls for; this is overexposure.

8. To set your exposure using the aperture, depress the shutter release button until the meter is activated. Then, while holding down the Exposure Compensation/Aperture button (located behind and to the right of the shutter release button), rotate the Command dial to change the aperture. Rotate right for a smaller aperture (large f-stop number) and left for a larger aperture (small f-stop number).

n

How I Shoot: A Closer Look at the Camera Settings I Use

The great thing about working with a dSLR camera is that I can always feel confident that

some things will remain unchanged from camera to camera. For me, these are the Aperture

Priority (A) and Shutter Priority (S) shooting modes. Regardless of the subject I am shooting

—from landscape to portrait to macro—I am almost always going to be concerned with my

depth of field. Whether it’s isolating my subject with a large aperture or trying to maximize

the overall sharpness of a sweeping landscape (Figure 4.13), I always keep an eye on my

aperture setting. If I do have a need to control the action, I use Shutter Priority, my fallback

mode. Actually, it’s not really a fallback; it’s more like the right tool for certain jobs. If I am

trying to create a silky waterfall effect, I can depend on Shutter Priority mode to provide

that long shutter speed that will deliver. Maybe I am shooting a soccer game; I definitely

need the fast shutter speeds that will freeze the fast-moving action.

95

Figure 4.13 a small aperture increases the depth of field, which means more of the landscape will be in focus.

ISO 100 • 1/5 sec. • f/8 • 24mm lens


While the other camera modes have their place, I think you will find that, like me and

most other working pros, you will use the Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes

for 90 percent of your shooting.

Another major concern I have when I am setting up my camera is just how low I can keep

my ISO. This is always a priority for me, because a low ISO will deliver the cleanest image.

I raise the ISO only as a last resort, because each increase in sensitivity is an opportunity

for more digital noise to enter my image. To that end, I always have the High ISO Noise

Reduction feature turned on (see Chapter 7).

To make quick changes while I shoot, I often use the Exposure Compensation feature

(covered in Chapter 7) so that I can make small overexposure and underexposure changes.

This is different from changing the aperture or shutter; it is more like fooling the camera

meter into thinking the scene is brighter or darker than it actually is. To get to this func-

tion quickly, I simply press the Exposure Compensation/Aperture button, then dial in the

desired amount of compensation. Truth be told, I usually have this set to –1/3 so that

there is just a tiny bit of underexposure in my image. This usually leads to better color

saturation. (Note: The Exposure Compensation feature does not work in the Manual

shooting mode.)

One of the reasons I change my exposure is to make corrections when I see the “blinkies”

in my rear LCD. Blinkies are the warning signal that part of my image has been overexposed

to the point that I no longer have any detail in the highlights. When the Highlight Alert

feature is turned on, the display will flash wherever the potential exists for overexposure.

The black and white flashing will appear only in areas of your picture that are in danger

of overexposure.

Setting up the highlight alert feature1. Press the Menu button, then use the

Multi-selector to access the Playback menu (A).

2. Once in the Playback menu, move the Multi-selector to Playback Display Options and press OK (B).

3. Move the Multi-selector down to select the Highlights option, then press OK to place a check mark next to the word Highlights (C).

4. Now move back up to select Done, and press OK again to lock in your change.

n

A


B C

Once the highlight warning is turned on, I use it to check my images on the back of the

LCD after taking a shot. If I see an area that is blinking, I will usually set the Exposure

Compensation feature to an underexposed setting like –1/3 or –2/3 stops and take another

photo, checking the result on the screen. I repeat this process until the warning is gone.

Sometimes, such as when shooting into the sun, the warning will blink no matter how

much you adjust the exposure because there is just no detail in the highlight. Use your

best judgment to determine if the warning is alerting you to an area where you want to

retain highlight detail.

As you work your way through the coming chapters, you will see other tips and tricks I use

in my daily photography, but the most important tip I can give is to understand the features

of your camera so that you can leverage the technology in a knowledgeable way. This will

result in better photographs.


Chapter 4 Assignments

This will be more of a mental challenge than anything else, but you should put a lot of work into these

lesson assignments because the information covered in this chapter will define how you work with your

camera from this point on. Granted, once in a while you’ll just want to grab some quick pictures and will

resort to the automatic scene modes, but to get serious with your photography, you will want to learn

the professional modes inside and out.

Starting off with program mode

Set your camera on Program mode and start shooting. Become familiar with the adjustments you can

make to your exposure by turning the Command dial. Shoot in bright sun, deep shade, indoors, anywhere

that you have different types and intensities of light. While you are shooting, make sure that you keep

an eye on your ISO and raise or lower it according to your environment.

learning to control time with the Shutter priority mode

Find some moving subjects and then set your camera to S mode. Have someone ride a bike back and forth,

or even just photograph cars as they go by. Start with a slow shutter speed of around 1/30 of a second and

then start shooting with faster and faster shutter speeds. Keep shooting until you can freeze the action.

Now find something that isn’t moving, like a flower, and start with your shutter speed at something fast

like 1/500 of a second and then work your way down. Don’t brace the camera on a steady surface. Just

try to shoot as slowly as possible, down to about 1/4 of a second. The point is to see how well you can

handhold your camera before you start introducing hand shake into the image, making it appear soft

and somewhat unfocused.

Controlling depth of field with the aperture priority mode

The name of the game with Aperture Priority mode is depth of field. Set up three items at different dis-

tances from you. I would use chess pieces or something similar. Focus on the middle item and set your

camera to the largest aperture that your lens allows (remember, large aperture means a small number,

like f/3.5). Now, while still focusing on the middle subject, start shooting with ever-smaller apertures

until you are at the smallest f-stop for your lens. If you have a zoom lens, try doing this exercise with the

lens at the widest and then the most telephoto setting. Now move up to subjects that are farther away,

like telephone poles, and shoot them in the same way. The idea is to get a feel for how each aperture

setting affects your depth of field.

994 : t h e p r o F e S S i o N a l m o D e S

Giving and taking with manual mode

Manual mode is not going to require a lot of work, but you should pay close attention to your results.

Go outside on a sunny day and, using the camera in Manual mode, set your ISO to 100, your shutter

speed to 1/125 of a second, and your aperture to f/16. Now press your shutter release button to get a

meter reading. You should be pretty close to that zero mark. If not, make small adjustments to one of

your settings until it hits that mark. This is when the fun begins. Start moving your shutter speed slower,

to 1/60, and then set your aperture to f/22. Now go the other way. Set your aperture on f/8 and your

shutter speed to 1/500.

Review your images. If all went well, all the exposures should look the same. This is because you balanced

the light with reciprocal changes to the aperture and shutter speed. Go back to our original setting of 1/125

at f/16 and try moving the shutter speed without changing the aperture. Just make 1/3-stop changes

(1/125 to 1/100 to 1/80 to 1/60), and then review your images to see what a 1/3 stop of overexposure looks

like. Then do the same thing going in the opposite way. It’s hard to know if you want to over- or under-

expose a scene until you have actually done it and seen the results.

With each of the assignments, make sure that you keep track of your modes and exposures so you can

compare them with the images. If you are using software to review your images, you should also be able

to check the camera settings that are embedded within the images’ metadata.

Share your results with the book’s Flickr group!

Join the group here: flickr.com/groups/nikon5300_fromsnapshotstogreatshots


Index3D-tracking AF mode, 11512- or 14-bit RAW images, 36

aabout this book, xiii–xvaccessories, 255–266

camera bags, 264–265cleaning tools, 265–266diffusers, 264filters, 256–259, 262–263hot-shoe flashes, 263–264LCD viewing, 246, 266macro photography, 262–263remote release, 261tripods, 245, 260–261video recording, 245–246

action photography, 101–1233D-tracking mode for, 115annotated example of, 102–103assignments on shooting, 123automatic mode for, 60–61composing shots in, 121–122continuous shooting mode for,

117–118conveying motion in, 118–120depth of field in, 109–110factors to consider for, 104–106focus modes for, 112–116freezing motion in, 46, 47, 84, 104ISO settings and, 107–108,

111–112isolating subjects in, 109–110portraits as, 142shutter speed and, 84, 94,

104–106, 107, 142techniques for shooting,

118–122See also motion

Active D-Lighting feature, 72, 230–232

Adams, Ansel, 164additive color, 16Adobe RGB color space, 15–16AE Lock feature, 132, 221

AF-A focus mode, 11, 12, 72AF-area modes, 113, 114, 134AF-assist illuminator, 199AF-C focus mode, 72, 112–113AF-F focus mode, 72AF-S focus mode, 11, 12, 24, 72,

133–134air blowers, 266Aperture Priority (A) mode, 87–91

assignment on using, 98close-up photography and, 88,

89, 229flash sync speeds in, 203HDR photography and, 184isolating subjects using, 109–110landscape photography and, 88,

89, 167, 170photo examples using, 88, 89portrait photography and, 88,

128–129setting up and shooting in, 90–91situations for using, 88–90, 94

aperture settingsdepth of field and, 46, 48, 87,

90, 94exposure and, 44, 45–46f-stops and, 90landscape photography and,

89, 95light levels and, 90portrait photography and,

128–129prioritizing, 87–91, 94zoom lenses and, 43, 91

audio recording, 243, 251Auto Cleaning feature, 34auto exposure bracketing function,

183, 185, 227–228, 232Auto Exposure Lock (AE-L) feature,

132, 221Auto ISO sensitivity control, 111–112Auto ISO setting, 9, 10Auto mode, 54–55, 74Auto Off timer setting, 5–6Auto white balance setting, 13

autofocus modes. See focus modesAutomatic Focus (AF) points, 114automatic modes, 11, 51–75

assignments on using, 74–75Auto mode, 54–55Auto (Flash Off) mode, 55–56Child mode, 59Close-up mode, 61–62effects modes, 67–71Landscape mode, 58limitations of, 71–72Portrait mode, 56–57, 128Program mode vs., 80scene modes, 62–66Sports mode, 60–61See also professional modes

Autumn Colors scene mode, 66

Bbackgrounds

blurring, 46, 48, 109–110, 128isolating subjects from, 109–110portrait, 128, 146

backup battery, 5battery, charging, 5Beach/Snow scene mode, 64Black, Dave, 190black and white images

landscape photos as, 164–165portraits as, 135–137

blinkies, 96–97, 162, 170Blossom scene mode, 66blur

background, 46, 48, 109–110, 128

motion, 46, 47, 84, 120, 123bonus chapter, xvbracketing exposures, 72, 183, 185,

227–228, 232, 237brightness, 20, 173buffer, camera, 118Bulb setting, 223–225, 237bull’s-eye composition, 174burst shooting mode, 117–118

i N D e x 269

Ccamera bags, 264–265camera gear. See accessoriescamera shake, 154, 196, 214camera stabilizers, 245–246Candlelight mode, 66catch light, 141Center-weighted metering mode,

130–131charging the battery, 5Child mode, 59child photography, 59, 146, 147Clean Now feature, 34, 35cleaning the sensor, 33–35, 49clipping, 20close-up filters, 262–263Close-up mode, 61–62, 74close-up photography, 229

accessories for, 262–263annotated examples of, 78–79,

218–219Aperture Priority mode for, 88,

89, 229assignment on shooting, 237automatic mode for, 61–62

Cloudy setting, 14CMYK colors, 15color

additive vs. subtractive, 16viewing in photographs, 173warm vs. cool, 15, 167

Color Sketch effect, 69color space settings, 15–16color temperature, 15, 167color theory, 16Command dial, 62, 67, 81composition

action photo, 121–122bonus chapter on, xvcreating depth through, 175landscape, 173–175portrait, 142–148rule of thirds, 174–175, 187

continuous shooting mode, 117–118, 185

Continuous-servo (AF-C) mode, 112–113

cool colors, 15, 167Creating DSLR Video: From

Snapshots to Great Shots (Harrington), 252

cropped panoramas, 177

DDaylight setting, 159deleting images, 19depth, creating, 175depth of field

action photography and, 109–110

aperture settings and, 46, 48, 87, 90, 94

close-up photography and, 229landscape photography and,

167, 187portrait photography and,

128–129, 149telephoto lenses and, 42video recording and, 244, 247, 253wide-angle lenses and, 40, 187

diffusers, 264Direct Sunlight setting, 13direction of travel, 104, 105display modes, 18–19display screen. See LCD displaydistance

flash range and, 203hyper focal, 167–168, 187subject-to-camera, 106

distortion, 129drive modes, 117dSLR cameras, 22, 38dual image formats, 37–38Dusk/Dawn scene mode, 65Dynamic-area AF mode, 113, 114dynamic range, 36, 180

eediting video, 252effects modes, 67–71

assignment on exploring, 75Color Sketch effect, 69HDR Painting effect, 68–69High Key effect, 68Low Key effect, 68Miniature effect, 70Mode dial setting for, 67Night Vision effect, 69, 195Selective Color effect, 70–71Silhouette effect, 67Toy Camera effect, 70video recording and, 248See also scene modes

environmental portraits, 129

exposure, 43–46calculating, 44–46factors of, 43–44histograms and, 20–21long, 84, 85, 158, 200–202,

222–225reciprocal settings for, 45–46

exposure bracketing, 72, 183, 185, 227–228, 232, 237

Exposure Compensation feature, 96automatic modes and, 71flash compensation and,

205–207highlight warning and, 97, 162landscape photography and,

162–163, 170portrait photography and, 130shooting modes supporting, 163

exposure triangle, 43–44exposure value (EV), 43extension tubes, 262external flash, 213eyes

catch light in, 141focusing on, 133red-eye reduction, 207–209

FFace-priority mode, 138–139“fake” panoramas, 176–177fast lenses, 90fill flash, 139–141, 210filters, 256–259

close-up, 262–263graduated ND, 259Monochrome picture control,

136, 164, 165neutral density, 172, 258polarizing, 172, 256–257

fireworks, 223, 224firmware updates, 32–33, 49flash

built-in, 202–205disabling, 55–56, 199–200external, 213fill, 139–141, 210hot-shoe, 14, 263–264manual power mode, 204–205range/distance, 203Rear Curtain Sync mode,

210–211


red-eye reduction, 207–209reflections from, 212shutter speed and, 202, 203

Flash Exposure Compensation feature, 72, 141, 205–207

flash synchronizationRear Curtain Sync mode, 210–211shutter speed and, 202, 203

Flash white balance setting, 14Flickr group for book, 25flower photography, 218–219, 229Fluorescent setting, 13, 159focal lengths, 38–45focus modes, 11–13, 72

3D-tracking, 115AF-A, 11, 12, 72AF-C, 72, 112–113AF-F, 72AF-S, 11, 12, 72, 133–134manual, 17, 115–116, 169–170,

197, 249focus points, 11, 12–13, 113, 114focusing

for action photography, 112–116for landscape photography,

167–170for low-light photography,

197–199for portraits, 133–135for video recording, 240, 244, 253

focusing system, 11–13, 197Food scene mode, 63formatting memory cards, 31–32, 49framing portraits, 143–144, 145, 148freezing motion, 46, 47, 84, 104Front Curtain Sync mode, 210f-stops, 44, 45–46, 90

See also aperture settingsFunction button, 11, 160, 227

Gglass reflections, 212golden light, 166GPS function, 186graduated ND filter, 259Grid overlay feature, 139, 175, 187

hhand portraits, 146, 147handheld photography, 55, 196, 214

HDMI cable connection, 246, 251HDR Painting effect, 68–69high-definition video, 241high dynamic range (HDR) images,

180–185bracketing exposures for, 183, 185in-camera function for, 180–182,

187setting up for shooting, 184–185

High ISO Noise Reduction, 96, 158, 192–193, 194, 214

High Key effect, 68high-key images, 68, 163Highlight Alert feature, 96–97, 162,

170highlights

overexposure warning for, 96–97, 162, 170

regaining detail in, 163histograms, 20–21holding your camera, 22–23, 25Hoodman accessories, 246, 266horizon line, 174, 187hot-shoe flashes, 14, 263–264hyper focal distance (HFD), 167–168,

187

ii button, 8, 163image formats

dual, 37–38exploring, 49JPEG, 7–9, 35–36RAW, 36–37

image-quality settings, 7–9image resolution, 36Incandescent setting, 13interval timer, 233–234ISO settings

action photos and, 107–108, 111–112

Auto option, 9, 10changing on the fly, 11, 108expanded settings, 194–195, 214explanation of, 9exposure and, 44, 45–46flash range and, 203landscape photos and, 156–157low-light photos and, 192–195noise and, 10, 156–157prioritizing, 80–81, 96

sensitivity control feature, 111–112starting points for, 81steps for selecting, 10

JJPEG file format

explained, 7, 36quality settings, 7–9RAW+JPEG option, 37–38reasons for using, 35

kKelvin temperature scale, 15

LLandscape mode, 58, 74landscape photography, 151–187

annotated examples of, 52–53, 152–153

aperture settings and, 89, 95, 167assignments on shooting, 187automatic mode for, 58black and white, 164–165composition in, 173–175Exposure Compensation for,

162–163, 170focusing for, 167–170GPS function and, 186HDR images and, 180–185hyper focal distance for,

167–168, 187ISO settings for, 156–157nighttime, 64noise reduction for, 158panoramas and, 176–180picture control for, 161sunrise/sunset in, 166tripods used for, 154–155, 167, 170waterfall shots in, 170–172white balance settings for,

159–161Landscape picture control, 58, 161LCD display

accessories for, 246, 266reviewing photos in, 18–21, 24reviewing videos in, 251zooming in on, 109

lens cloth, 265lens flare, 225–226

i N D e x 271

lenses, 38–43exploring, 49how they work, 38–39normal, 40, 41portrait, 57rental of, 245telephoto, 40–42Vibration Reduction, 55, 155, 196video recording and, 244–245wide-angle, 39–40zoom, 43, 91

LensPen, 266light meters, 92, 93, 130light trails, 223lighting

Active D-Lighting feature and, 72, 230–232

red-eye reduction and, 208See also flash; low-light

photography; sunlightlightning storms, 223, 225Live View feature, 73, 139

Face-priority mode, 138–139Grid overlay option, 139, 175, 187video recording and, 240white balance settings and,

160–161location tracking, 186Long Exposure Noise Reduction,

158, 200, 215, 225long exposures, 84, 85, 158,

200–202, 214–215, 222–225lossy compression, 7Low Key effect, 68low-key images, 68, 163low-light photography, 189–215

annotated example of, 190–191assignments on shooting, 214–215built-in flash for, 202–205disabling the flash for, 199–200eliminating flash reflections in,

212external flash for, 213flash compensation for,

205–207focusing for, 197–199ISO settings for, 81, 192–195long exposures for, 200–202,

222–225noise reduction for, 192–193, 200Rear Curtain Sync mode for,

210–211

red-eye reduction in, 207–209self-timer used for, 197Vibration Reduction lenses for,

196See also nighttime photography

luminance, 20

mmacro photography. See close-up

photographyManual flash mode, 204–205manual focus mode, 17, 25, 115–116,

123, 169–170, 197, 249Manual (M) mode, 91–94, 222

assignment on using, 99Bulb setting in, 223–225photo examples using, 92, 93setting up and shooting in, 94situations for using, 92–93, 122,

222, 223Matrix metering mode, 71, 130megapixels (MP), 36memory cards, 30–32

choosing, 30formatting, 31–32, 49updating firmware from, 33video recording and, 250

metering modes, 130–131, 149Center-weighted, 130–131Manual flash, 204–205Matrix, 71, 130Spot, 130, 220–222TTL, 204

microphones, 243, 251Miniature effect, 70mini-HDMI cable, 246Mode dial, 11–12, 51, 77Monochrome picture control,

135–137, 149, 164–165motion

assignments on shooting, 123automatic mode for, 60–61blurring, 46, 47, 84, 120, 123continuous shooting mode for,

117–118conveying a sense of, 84, 118–120focus modes for, 112–116freezing, 46, 47, 84, 104panning, 118–119, 123shutter speed and, 46, 104–106,

107

techniques for shooting, 118–120See also action photography

Movie Record button, 240Movie settings menu, 242, 243multiple-image panoramas, 178–180My Menu feature, 235–236

Nnatural light, 149neutral density (ND) filter, 172, 258Night Landscape mode, 64Night Portrait mode, 63, 203Night Vision effect, 69, 195nighttime photography

Manual mode for, 222–225scene modes for, 63–64See also low-light photography

Nikon D5300 cameraaccessories, 255–266features illustration, 2–4firmware updates, 32–33memory cards approved for, 30properly holding, 22–23, 25

Nikon Speedlights, 213, 263–264Nikon ViewNX software, 37, 186noise in images

file size related to, 194ISO setting and, 10, 61, 156–157,

192long exposures and, 158, 200

Noise Reduction featuresHigh ISO Noise Reduction, 96,

158, 192–193, 194, 214Long Exposure Noise Reduction,

158, 200, 215, 225normal lenses, 40, 41

oonline bonus chapter, xvoverexposure warning, 96–97, 162,

170

ppanning, 118–119, 123, 250panoramas, 176–180

creating “fake,” 176–177multiple-image, 178–180tip for shooting, 180

Party/Indoor scene mode, 64


Pet Portrait mode, 65photowalkpro.com website, 185picture controls, 71, 161

Landscape, 58, 161Monochrome, 135–137, 149,

164–165Portrait, 137–138, 149video recording and, 248

pixel resolution, 36Playback button, 18, 109Playback menu, 18, 96polarizing filter, 172, 256–257pop-up flash, 202–205, 215Portrait mode, 56–57, 74, 128portrait orientation, 144Portrait picture control, 137–138, 149portraits, 125–149

action shots as, 142AE Lock feature for, 132annotated example of, 126–127Aperture Priority mode for, 88,

128–129assignments on shooting, 149automatic mode for, 56–57, 128backgrounds for, 128, 146black and white, 135–137composition of, 142–148depth of field in, 128–129, 149environmental, 129Face-priority mode for, 138–139fill flash for, 139–141focusing for, 133–135lenses used for, 57metering modes for, 130–131, 149Night Portrait mode for, 63Pet Portrait mode for, 65picture controls for, 135–138, 149tips for shooting, 142–148

Pre white balance setting, 14prefocusing cameras, 116prime lenses, 43professional modes, 11, 77–99

Aperture Priority mode, 87–91assignments on using, 98–99Manual mode, 91–94Program mode, 80–83Shutter Priority mode, 83–87See also automatic modes

Program (P) mode, 80–83assignment on using, 98automatic modes vs., 80flash sync speed in, 203

photo examples using, 82setting up and shooting in, 83situations for using, 80–82

progressive video, 241

Qquality settings

JPEG format, 7–9video recording, 241–242

rRAW file format, 36–38

advice on shooting in, 37HDR images and, 184RAW+JPEG option, 37–38reasons for using, 36–37

Rear Curtain Sync mode, 210–211, 215reciprocal exposures, 45–46Red-Eye Reduction feature,

207–209, 215reflections, flash, 212Release Mode button, 118, 197remote release, 202, 225, 261resolution

image, 36video, 241

reviewing photos, 18–21assignment on, 24display modes for, 18–19histograms used for, 20–21timer setting for, 5–6zooming in for, 109

reviewing recorded videos, 251rule of thirds, 174–175, 187

Sscene modes, 62–66

Autumn Colors mode, 66Beach/Snow mode, 64Blossom mode, 66Candlelight mode, 66Dusk/Dawn mode, 65Food mode, 63Mode dial setting for, 62Night Landscape mode, 64Night Portrait mode, 63Party/Indoor mode, 64Pet Portrait mode, 65Sunset mode, 65

See also effects modesscreen display. See LCD displaySD memory cards, 30, 33, 49, 250Selective Color effect, 70–71self-timer, 197semiautomatic modes, 86, 87sensor cleaning, 33–35, 49Setup menu, 31, 32, 35Shade setting, 14sharpening RAW images, 36sharpness of photos, 167, 173Shooting menu, 111, 242shooting modes

automatic modes, 51–75comparison table of, 80dial for selecting, 11–12, 51, 77effects modes, 67–71professional modes, 77–99scene modes, 62–66

Shutter Priority (S) mode, 83–87action photos and, 84, 94, 107assignment on using, 98flash sync speeds in, 203photo examples using, 84, 85setting up and shooting in, 87situations for using, 84–86,

94, 170shutter speed

action photography and, 84, 94, 104–106, 107, 142

exposure and, 44, 45–46flash synchronization and, 202,

203handheld photography and,

196, 214lens limitations and, 86motion and, 46, 47, 104–106, 107prioritizing, 83–87, 94, 107silky waterfall shots and, 170slow vs. fast, 86tripod use and, 154VR lenses and, 196

Silhouette effect, 67silhouetted subjects, 92, 93Single-frame mode, 117Single-point AF mode, 113single-point focusing, 11, 12–13,

24, 134sound recording, 243, 251speed of subject, 104–105Speedlight flashes, 213, 263–264Sports mode, 60–61, 75

i N D e x 273

sports photography. See action photography

Spot metering mode, 130, 220–222, 237

sRGB color space, 15, 16staging video shots, 249star trail photos, 233, 234step-up rings, 263subject-to-camera distance, 106subtractive color, 16sunlight

creative use of, 226ISO settings and, 81lens flare from, 225–226portrait photography and, 144,

145, 146, 147, 149white balance setting for, 13

sunny 16 rule, 45sunrise/sunset photos, 166,

221–222, 237Sunset scene mode, 65

ttack sharp images, 167telephoto lenses, 40–42temperature warning, 249time-lapse photography, 233–234timers

Auto Off timer, 5–6interval timer, 233–234self-timer, 197

tonal range, 20tonemapping process, 180Toy Camera effect, 70

tripodsadvice on buying, 260–261HDR photography and, 180landscape photography and,

154–155, 167, 170macro photography and, 229stability considerations for, 155video recording and, 245VR lenses and, 155

TTL metering, 204TV connections, 246, 251

Uunderexposed images, 21, 96updating the firmware, 32–33, 49

VVibration Reduction (VR) lenses, 55,

155, 196video recording, 239–253

accessories for, 245–246assignments on, 253book recommendation, 252depth of field for, 244, 247, 253dSLR lenses for, 244–245effects modes and, 248focusing for, 240, 244, 253icons indicating, 240, 241Live View mode for, 240picture controls for, 248quality settings, 241–242reviewing/editing videos,

251–252

sound settings, 243, 251tips for improving, 249–251white balance settings, 248

Wwarm colors, 15, 167waterfall photography, 84, 85, 86,

170–172white balance settings, 13–15

assignment on using, 24automatic modes and, 71choices available for, 13–14color temperature and, 15landscape photography and,

159–161Live View feature and, 160–161steps for selecting, 14video recording and, 248

wide-angle lenses, 39–40depth of field and, 40, 187distortion caused by, 129environmental portraits and,

129landscape photography and, 168situations for using, 40

Wi-Fi feature, 261wildlife photography, 102–103Wireless Mobile Utility (WMU), 261wireless remote, 225, 261

ZZoom In/Out buttons, 109zoom lenses, 43, 91

nikon d5300: from snapshots to great shots

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